Highton happy to prolong his career

HIT-UP: NEW Roughyeds prop Paul Highton (centre) takes on the Widnes defence while playing for Salford last season.

PAUL Highton believes there is still plenty of life left in the old legs yet.

Having signed a one-season contract to play for the club he supported as a child, the hugely experienced 31-year-old prop forward is hoping to play his part in guiding the team to promotion success.

But the Wales international — who enjoyed a testimonial year with Super League-bound Salford City Reds last season — doesn't want to end his playing days in National League Two, even in the event of a successful campaign.

"I have always had a soft spot for the club and as a child me and my dad would travel all over to watch Oldham play," said Highton, who spent the last 10 years at The Willows prior to his release this winter.

"I spoke to Bill (Quinn) last year about coming back then and had it not been my testimonial year I could well have done so.

"The lure of the testimonial meant that it didn't happen. But now I have got to the point where full-time rugby isn't what I want and I have to think about my future after playing.

"I didn't want to come to Oldham on my last legs either, with the club having to wheel me out onto the pitch. I feel I have quite a lot of rugby still in me.

"I was happy to sign a two-year deal but agreed that with this being something of a transitional period for the club we would wait and see what happens after this season."

Highton is one of a number of older heads, including fellow new man Paul Reilly, who have been brought together as a sounding board for the club's new coach, ex-Leigh and London Skolars man Tony Benson.

Having met up with the rest of the squad earlier this week at the pre-season get-together, the former Waterhead junior was buoyed and he hopes to exert an influence which can bring the best out of Oldham on a more consistent basis than last time around.

Highton felt the force of the high point of last season. He played off the bench for Salford at Boundary Park as a late Mick Nanyn try stunned the eventual Northern Rail Cup winners in the group stages, sealing an unexpected 18-14 Roughyeds triumph which showcased the team's potential.

"Tony seems a good bloke and he has certainly got the right pedigree," added Highton, who is looking to work towards a career outside of playing in sports marketing.

"He is very enthusiastic and you can tell he is in it for the right reasons.

"Like the players, he has got a lot to prove himself as he is on a deal which only goes into next season if we get promoted. So he will certainly be doing his best for his future and his family.

"Because we have got a young squad made up of players who have been brought in from all levels of rugby, he brought together those lads who have been involved in the Oldham set-up for a number of years and those like myself from Super League backgrounds.

"The idea is that he can bounce ideas off us in terms of how we should play and what our goals should be, as well as being more sets of eyes and ears so that we don't stand for any messing about or slacking off in training.

"The meeting on Monday was fantastic. It is the first time I have seen so many at a meeting like that — there must have been 30-plus players present, from the junior lads through to the older players.

"Looking round, there are some really experienced players. We have strength in depth in the right positions.

"But one of the things that was said was that nobody should think that they are guaranteed anything, from the captaincy to the shirt on a matchday. Everything is up for grabs.

"I got down to some of the games last season and when the team was on form, there wasn't anyone who could live with Oldham.

"I know that at Salford when we came to Boundary Park on that Friday night we had our pants pulled down. We were well beaten and it was fully deserved.

"It was possibly just a lack of concentration that cost Oldham last year and the rest is history.

"Our objective this season is to learn from that and hopefully kick on and get automatic promotion."